John Beaty
PEOPLE

John Beaty

Associate
beaty.john@dorsey.com

Overview

John offers detail-oriented, pragmatic, and creative representation to clients at all stages of the litigation process.

John helps clients - including small businesses, tribal entities, universities, and Fortune 500 Companies – navigate their complex litigation matters.

John maintains an active pro bono practice focused on civil rights, housing, and post-conviction litigation.

Prior to rejoining Dorsey, John served as a law clerk for the Honorable Joseph Bataillon on the District of Nebraska and the District of Delaware (by designation).

Education & Admissions

University of Iowa College of Law (J.D., 2023), Highest Distinction; Order of the Coif; Articles Editor, Iowa Law Review; Regional Moot Court Team, Outstanding Scholastic Achievement Award, Alan I. Widiss Faculty Scholar Award

Carleton College (B.A., 2019)

Admissions

  • Minnesota
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota

Clerkships

  • United States District Court for the District of Nebraska, Joseph Bataillon, 2024-2025

Experience

Representative Experience

  • Harris v. UnitedHealth Grp., Inc. of Tex., No. 3:23-CV-02486-E, 2024 WL 2734974 (N.D. Tex. May. 28, 2024): Represented a Benefits Plan and Third-Party Administrator in an ERISA breach of fiduciary duty action challenging the sufficiency of a life insurance conversion notice. ERISA claim dismissed on the merits and state law claims dismissed on preemption grounds.
  • Represented a wholesale energy distributor in consumer litigation arising from an extreme weather event. Claim voluntarily dismissed after successful pre-answer negotiations. 
  • Represented a healthcare entity in an internal investigation of a regulatory compliance matter.

News & Resources

  • Critical Race Theory in the Classroom: Iowa’s Critical Race Theory Ban and the Limits of the First Amendment, 27 J. Gender Race & Just. 137 (2024) 
  • The Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on Energy Justice and Green Energy Development in Indian Country, 12 LSU J. Energy L. & Res. 1 (2024) (Cited in Cohen’s Handbook of Federal Indian Law (2025 ed.))
  • Tribal Eminent Domain: Sovereignty Gaps and Policy Solutions, 55 N.M. L. Rev. 37 (2025)

Industries & Practices

Government Solutions & Investigations
Securities & Financial Services Litigation & Enforcement
  • Appellate
  • Banking & Financial Institutions
  • Class Action Litigation
  • Commercial Litigation
  • ERISA Litigation
  • Government Solutions & Investigations
  • Healthcare & Life Sciences
  • Healthcare Litigation
  • Indian & Alaska Native
  • Insurance Law
  • Intellectual Property Litigation
  • Pro Bono
  • Securities & Financial Services Litigation & Enforcement
  • Technology

Professional & Civic

Community Involvement

  • Volunteer Judge, The American Mock Trial Association
  • Alumni Volunteer, Carleton College

Accolades

  • MSBA North Star Lawyer, 2023-2024
John Beaty